Rug and carpet cleaning device



1966 N. E. BURUCHIAN RUG AND CARPET CLEANING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Feb. 9, 1965 I INVENTOR. NISHAN E. BURUCHIAN ATTOR EYS FIG.

, 29, 1966 N, E. BURUCHIAN 3,287,941

RUG AND CARPET CLEANING DEVICE Filed Feb. 9, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2s 20g g FIG. 8

INVENTOR. NISHAN E. BURUCHIAN ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,287,941RUG AND CARPET CLEANING DEVICE Nishan E. Buruchian, 427 Marlboro Road,Wood Ridge, NJ. Filed Feb. 9, 1965, Ser. No. 431,317 18 Claims. (Cl.6820) The invention relates to rug and carpet cleaning devices and inparticular to a rug and carpet cleaning device which does not stretch orshrink the rug or carpet during the cleaning process.

Up to the present time it has not been .possible to remove wall-to-wallcarpets for cleaning because the carpet changed its shape and sizeduring the cleaning process and could not be relaid properly. As aresult, most carpets are cleaned in the home with considerableinconvenience and inadequate cleaning. In order to clean a rug or carpetsatisfactorily, it is necessary to clean both the pile and backingthoroughly. This is not possible if the carpet must be cleaned while itremains tacked to the floor. Proper cleaning requires that the cleaningsolution (soap and water or a chemical cleaner) flows through the pileand the backing so that the dirt is removed from all the openings andcrevices in the carpet or rug. For good results, it is also necessaryfor the rug or carpet to be thoroughly rinsed and spin or air dried.This is not possible if the carpet or rug remains on the floor and thepile is shampooed.

It is an important object of the invention to provide a rug and carpetcleaning device in which a rug and carpet can be thoroughly cleaned andwhich prevents the rug or carpet from stretching or shrinking during thecleaning process.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a cleaningdevice wherein the rug or carpet is held in a spiral within the deviceand is rotated so that the cleaning solution acts on both surfaces ofthe rug or carpet and flows through the pores and crevices of the rug orcarpet.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide such a cleaningdevice into which 'hot air may be introduced while the spiral is rotatedso as to dry the rug or carpet.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide such a cleaningdevice wherein more than one rug or carpet may be cleaned at the sametime.

These and other objects, advantages, features and uses will be apparentduring the course of the following description when taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic, end elevational view, partly in section, ofa preferred embodiment of the rug and carpet cleaning device of theinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic, sectional view, partly in elevation, of therug and carpet cleaning device of FIGURE 1, taken on line 2-2 of FIGURE1, viewed in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view of one form of end element used in thecleaning device of the invention, viewed in the direction of the arrows33 of FIGURE 4A.

FIGURES 4 and 4A are sectional views of the preferred forms of endelements used in the cleaning device of the invention which is equippedfor steam drying;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged view, partly in section, show ing the conveyorwhich is a part of the cleaning device of FIGURE 1, rolled up;

FIGURE 6 is an elevational view showing a rug afiixed to the conveyor ofthe invention and showing the means for joining the sections of theconveyor;

FIGURE 7 is an illustration of a typical hook used to hold the end of arug in position within the cleaning device of the invention;

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FIGURE 8 is a top plan view of the washing and drying section of thecleaning device of the invention, with the lid closed;

FIGURE 9 is a plan view of the roller assembly used to feed the rug orcarpet onto the conveyor for insertion into the washing and dryingsection of the cleaning device of the invention;

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged section of a portion of the spiral guide usedin the cleaning device of the invention, showing the openings fordistributing steam for drying the rugs or carpets; and

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the conveyor, showingits connection to the cable provided for pulling the conveyor into thewashing and drying section of the cleaning device of the invention.

In the drawings, wherein, for the purpose of illustration, is shown apreferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 20 designates thetank which encloses the washing and drying section of the rug and carpetcleaning device of the invention. Tank 20 is provided with a lid 22which is closed during the cleaning operation. Spiral guide 24, which ismounted in tank 20 on axle 26, is preferably liquid impervious and isused to guide the conveyor into position. It may also be formed of arigid mesh material on which the conveyor is. guided and rests. Spiralguide 24 may be a unitary element extending almost the full width of thetank or it may be two or more spaced guides which support the conveyorat its sides and, if desired, at intermediate areas.

Conveyor 28 is mounted in a roll on axle 30 when it is not drawn intotank 20 and the rug or carpet 32 to be cleaned is mounted as shown inFIGURE 1. Conveyor 28 is pulled onto spiral guide 24 into tank 20 bymeans of pulley 34 and cable 36. After the conveyor 28 and rug 32 arecompletely inside tank 20, the conveyor end is afiixed to the spiralguide by means of hooks '62 or similar devices and lid 22 is closed andthe combination is rotated on axle 26 by means of motor 38 in aclockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 1. Cleaning solution isintroduced into tank 20 through pipe 40 and moves to the bottom of thetank 20 due to the force of gravity. The ends of the combination ofspiral guide, conveyor and rug are enclosed by a pair of end plates 42and 43 at least one of which has central opening 23 such as isillustrated in FIGURE 3. When spaced spiral guides are used, the outerend of at least one of them is provided with an end plate having acentral opening. Preferably, the other end plate affixed to the outerend of the other spaced spiral guide is closed to preclude ejection ofthe fluid from that end.

The tank is filled with cleaning solution to an appropriate level andthe combination is rotated. As the combination is rotated, cleaningsolution is drawn up within the spiral until it fills the spiral and isejected through the central opening 23 in end element 42. As therotation is continued, the cleaning solution is circulated through thespiral and the rug or carpet is cleaned. After the rug is cleaned, adrain cock (not shown) at the end of pipe 46 is opened and the spiralcontinues to rotate. All the solution is thereby ejected from the spiraland is drained from the tank. The solution, so drained, may be discardedor pumped back into the supply tank, as desired.

Next, rotation is stopped, the drain cock at the end of pipe 46 isclosed and a rinsing solution is introduced into the tank through pipe40. The tank is filled :with rinsing solution to the required level andthe spiral guide, conveyor and rug are rotated so that the rinsingsolution is run over the complete rug and is ejected from opening 23.Rinsing continues for the required time and then the drain cock isopened and the rinsing solution is ejected from the tank. If desired,more than one rinsing cycle may be Patented Nov. 29, 1966 used or undercertain conditions, rinsing may be dispensed with.

To 'facilitate drying of the rug 32, the spiral is rotated while hot airis blown into tank 20 through line 48 and leaves tank 20 through line50. It is also within the contemplation of the invention to provideheating elements within the conveyor or the spiral guide. These, in thepreferred embodiment, may take the form of electrical heater elementsembedded in the conveyor or spiral guide in a manner Well-known in theart. Details of the heating elements and the means for applying voltagethereto are not shown.

It is also within the contemplation of the invention to utilize steamfor drying the rug and/ or carpet which has been cleaned. Such acleaning device would be provided with end elements 42 and 43 which areillustrated in FIG- URES 3, 4 and 4A. Openings 51 in the end elements 42and 43 match openings 25 in spiral guide 24 so that steam can be fedinto the system through opening 45 in axle 26, out through openings 47in axle 26 into the chamber in end element 43 (FIGURE 4). The steam thenflows through openings 51 in end element 43 into channels 25 in spiralguide 24. The steam then flows through channels 25 and exits throughopenings 51 into the chamber in end element 42 (FIGURE 4A). The steamleaves the chamber in end element 42 through release valve 49. Endelement 42 is mounted to axle 26 by means of struts 44. The flow ofwater being ejected from the spiral during washing is not blocked bythese struts.

Detailed views of conveyor 28 are shown in FIGURES 5, 6 and 11. InFIGURE 5, conveyor 28 is seen to comprise base 52 on which are mountedspikes 54 to hold the rug. Openings 56 are provided inibase 52 to permitthe solution to flow through the rug. Ribs 58 are used to hold theconveyor so that the spikes from one layer do not pierce the next layerwhen the conveyor is rolled up on axle 30 (FIGURE 1). In FIGURE 11 thereare shown a pair of joined slats of conveyor 28 connected by means ofhinges 60 which permit the conveyor, which is preferably formed of rigidslats of aluminum or plastic, to follow the contour of the spiral guide.There may be more than one pulley 34 and cable 36 spaced along axle 26used to pull the conveyor and rug onto the spiral guide evenly. FIGURE 6shows the relationship of the elements of the conveyor and the rugbefore the combination starts to follow the curve of the spiral.

In FIGURE 7 there is shown hook 62 which is provided with barbs 64 whichare hooked, if desired, into the conveyor and the rug to hold theleading and trailing ends of the rug in place on the conveyor and tohold the conveyor in place on the spiral guide.

FIGURE 9 illustrates the rollers on which the rug 32 is placed prior toand after cleaning and the motors for rerolling the rug and theconveyor. Roller 68 serves to force rug 32 onto spikes 54 as theconveyor is pulled into the tank. After the rug is cleaned, the rug ismoved back into a roll above rollers 66 and 70. Conveyor 28 is moved outof the tank and into a roll by means of motor 73. When this action takesplace, rollers 66 and 70 are driven by motor 72 to roll the rug.Preferably, roller 68 should be raised out of contact with the rugduring this operation.

If the size of the rugs or carpets being cleaned permits, more than onerug or carpet may be cleaned at the same time.

Operation of the rug and carpet cleaning device of the inventionproceeds as follows: cable 36 is hooked onto the end of conveyor 28 andpulley 34 is caused to rotate to pull the conveyor into tank 20. Pulley'34 may be actuated by motor 38 through a standard clutch (not shown)which permits pulley 34 to rotate while axle 26 and spiral guide 24remain stationary. The leading end of rug 32 is hooked onto conveyor 28.As the conveyor is pulled into the tank, the weight of roller 68 forcesrug 32 onto pins 54. The leading end of rug 32 may be held to conveyor28 by using one or more hooks 62. The hooks are also used to hold thetrailing end of the rug to the conveyor.

After the conveyor 28 and the rugs or carpets to be. cleaned have beenpulled into the tank, pulley 34 is stopped. Lid 22 is closed, the clutchis operated to allow axle 26 and spiral guide 24 to rotate and cleaningsolution enters the tank through pipe 40. When sufficient cleaningsolution has entered the tank, the feed through pipe 40 is cut off. Nowmotor 38 is turned on and the combination is rotated clockwise. Thiscauses the cleaning solution to feed through the spiral and to beejected back into the tank through opening 23 in end element 42. Thisoperation continues for the required washing time.

Next, a valve (not shown) affixed to pipe 46 is opened and while spiralguide 24, conveyor 28 and the rugs continue to spin, the cleaningsolution is ejected from the combination and drained from the tank.

If air drying is to be used, hot air is blown into pipe 48 from a source(not shown) while the spiral continues to spin. The air leaves throughpipe 50.

If steam drying is to be used, the spiral is spun and steam from asource (not shown) is forced into opening 45 in axle 26 and throughopenings 47 into the chamber in end element 43. From the chamber itenters channels 25 through openings 51 so that the interior of spiralguide 24 is permeated with steam. The steam exits from the spiralthrough openings 51 into the chamber in end element 42 from which itleaves through valve 49.

When the rug or rugs are completely dry, the spiral is stopped fromspinning and a cable similar to cable 36 is connected between conveyor28 and axle 30. Hooks 62 are removed and conveyor 28 is pulled onto axle30 by means of motor 73. At the same time, the end of rug 32 is placedon rollers 66 and 70 and they are rotated by motor 72. This causes therug to roll up. When the rug is completely rolled up and the conveyor isrolled up on axle 30, the motors are turned off and the device is readyfor further cleaning.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed, it is apparent to those skilled a conveyor having means, as apart thereof, for hold- 4 ing the article to be cleaned in position;

means for moving the conveyor onto the rotatable spiral guide; means forintroducing cleaning solution into the tank;

an end plate affixed to each end of the rotatable spiral guide;

one of the end plates having a central opening theremeans for rotatingthe spiral guide, the conveyor and the article held thereto so that thecleaning solution is drawn up inside the combination and is ejectedthrough the central opening in the end plate having the central opening;and

means for draining the cleaning solution from the tank.

2. A rug and carpet cleaning device as described in claim 1 includingmeans for storing the conveyor, means for mounting the article to becleaned prior to aflixing it to the conveyor and means for feeding thearticle to be cleaned onto the conveyor.

3. A rug and carpet cleaning device as described in claim 2 wherein theend plates have openings therein and the spiral guide has a plurality ofopenings running the width thereof, the openings in the end platescommunicating with the openings in the spiral guide to permit steam tobe fed within the spiral guide.

4. A rug and carpet cleaning device as described in claim 1 wherein theconveyor comprises a plurality of strips hinged together to permit theconveyor to follow a curved path and the means for holding the articleto be cleaned in position comprises a plurality of spikes projectingupward from the conveyor.

5. A rug and carpet cleaning device as described in claim 4 includingmeans for storing the conveyor, means for mounting the article to becleaned prior to aflixing it to the conveyor and means for feeding thearticle to be cleaned onto the conveyor.

6. A rug and carpet cleaning device as described in claim 5 wherein theend plates have openings therein and the spiral guide has a plurality ofopenings running the Width thereof, the openings in the end platescommunicating with the openings in the spiral guide to permit steam tobe fed within the spiral guide. 7

7. A rug and carpet cleaning device as described in claim 4 wherein theend plates have openings therein and the spiral guide has a plurality ofopenings running the Width thereof, the openings in the end platescommunieating with the openings in the spiral [guide to permit steam tobe fed within the spiral guide.

8. A rug and carpet cleaning device as described in claim 1 wherein theend plates have openings therein and the spiral guide has a plurality ofopenings running the width thereof, the openings in the end platescommunieating with the openings in the spiral guide to permit steam tobe fed within the spiral guide.

9. A rug and carpet cleaning device comprising:

a tank;

a pair of spaced, rotatable spiral guides mounted within the tank;

a conveyor having means, as a part thereof, for holding the article tobe cleaned in position;

means for moving the conveyor onto the pair of spaced,

rotatable spiral guides;

means for introducing cleaning solution into the tank;

a closed end plate aflixed to the outer end of one of the pair ofspaced, rotatable spiral guides so as to preclude the ejection ofcleaning solution;

an end plate having a central opening therein aflixed to the outer endof the other of the pair of spaced, rotatable spiral guides;

means for rotating the pair of spaced, rotatable spiral guides, theconveyor and the article held thereto so that the cleaning solution .isdrawn up inside the combination and is ejected through the centralopening in the end plate having the central opening; and

means for draining the solution from the tank.

10. A rug and carpet cleaning device as described in claim 9 wherein theconveyor comprises a plurality of strips hinged together to permit theconveyor to follow a curved path and the means for holding the articleto be cleaned in position comprises a plurality of spikes projectingupward from the conveyor.

11. A rug and carpet cleaning device as described in claim 10 includingmeans for storing the conveyor, means for mounting the article to becleaned prior to affixing it to the conveyor and means for feeding thearticle to be cleaned onto the conveyor.

12. A rug and carpetcleaning device as described in claim 9 includingmeans for storing the conveyor, means for mounting the article to becleaned prior to aflixing it to the conveyor and means for feeding thearticle to be cleaned onto the conveyor.

13. A rug and carpet cleaning device comprising:

a pair of spaced, rotatable spiral guides mounted within the tank;

a conveyor comprising a plurality of strips hinged together to permitthe conveyor to follow a curved path and a plurality of spikes mountedon the strips for holding the article to be cleaned on the conveyor;

means for storing the conveyor outside the tank;

means for mounting the article to be cleaned prior to aflixing it to theconveyor;

means for moving the conveyor onto the pair of rotatable, spiral guidesWhile afiixing the article to be cleaned to the conveyor;

at least one end plate having a central opening therein affixed to oneof the pair of rotatable, spiral guides;

means for introducing cleaning solution into the tank;

means for rotating the pair of rotatable, spiral guides, the conveyorand the article held thereto so that the cleaning solution is drawn upinside the combination and is ejected through the central opening in theend plate having the central opening; and

means for draining the cleaning solution from the tank.

14. A rug and carpet cleaning device as described in claim 13 includinga closed end plate afiixed to one of the pair of rotatable, spiralguides.

15. A rug and carpet cleaning device comprising:

a tank;

a rotatable spiral guide mounted within the tank;

a conveyor comprising a plurality of strips hinged together to permitthe conveyor to follow a curved path and a plurality of spikes mountedon the strips for holding the article to be cleaned on the conveyor;

means for storing the conveyor outside the tank;

means for mounting the article to be cleaned prior to affixing it to theconveyor;

means for moving the conveyor onto the rotatable spiral guide whileaffixing the article to be cleaned to the conveyor;

at least one end plate, having a central opening therein affixed to therotatable, spiral guide;

means for introducing cleaning solution into the tank;

means for rotating the rotatable, spiral guide, the conveyor and thearticle held thereto so that the cleaning solution is drawn up insidethe combination and is ejected through the central opening in the endplate having the central opening; and

means for draining the cleaning solution from the tank.

16. A rug and carpet cleaning device as described in claim 15 includinga closed end plate afiixed to one end of the rotatable, spiral guide.

17. A rug and carpet cleaning device as described in claim 16 whereinthe end plates have openings therein and the spiral guide has aplurality of openings running the width thereof, the openings in the endplates communicating with the openings in the spiral guide to permitsteam to be fed Within the spiral guide.

18. A rug and carpet cleaning device as described in claim 15 whereinthe end plates have openings therein and the spiral guide has aplurality of openings running the width thereof, the openings in the endplates communicating with the openings in the spiral guide to permitsteam to be fed within the spiral guide.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,915,889 12/1959Ethridgc 68-157 X IRVING BUNEVICH, Primary Examiner

1. A RUG AND CARPET CLEANING DEVICE COMPRISING: A TANK; A ROTATABLESPIRAL GUIDE MOUNTED WITHIN THE TANK; A CONVERYOR HAVING MEANS, AS APART THEREOF, FOR HOLDING THE ARTICLE TO BE CLEANED IN POSITION; MEANSFOR MOVING THE CONVEYOR ONTO THE ROTATABLE SPIRAL GUIDE; MEANS FORINTRODUCING CLEANING SOLUTION INTO THE TANK; AN END PLATE AFFIXED TOEACH END OF THE ROTATABLE SPIRAL GUIDE; ONE OF THE END PLATES HAVING ACENTRAL OPENING THEREIN;